A wand appeared in Gemma's hand at some unknown moment.
With a single graceful sweep, a shimmering layer of armor manifested before her.
Karmit's eyes lit up. A silent Shield Charm—and judging by Gemma's expression, she wasn't even using her full strength.
Karmit's smile widened. Slytherin was becoming more and more entertaining.
After a brief exchange of probing attacks, both duelists unleashed their full power. Spell after spell burst from their wands, the roles of offense and defense shifting rapidly without pause.
Karmit was surprised to realize their strength was already approaching Belinda's level.
Arabella moved with astonishing speed, her spells firing in relentless succession toward Gemma.
Gemma received each strike with practiced precision, occasionally slipping in a counterattack of her own.
To an outside observer, it appeared Arabella had the advantage. But in Karmit's eyes, the duel was already over.
He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back against the throne, interest growing in the woman before him.
Gemma was hiding her true power.
Though the duel looked evenly matched—Arabella even pressing slightly—Gemma's movements were relaxed, effortless.
Every counterattack was deliberately subtle, revealing nothing.
After another brief exchange, the rhythm of Arabella's spells faltered.
Her chain-casting was breaking apart.
That meant she had reached her limit.
The moment the opening appeared, Gemma struck.
°Expelliarmus°
A streak of red light shot across the platform. Arabella's wand flew from her grasp.
She frowned. "I lost."
With no hesitation, she turned and walked straight back toward the dormitory.
Gemma didn't seem bothered. "Well then, the show is over. Rankings remain unchanged. Everyone can return and rest. Your first day of classes begins tomorrow."
Karmit rose, and the throne behind him slid smoothly back into the wall. As each Hidden Prefect stood, their seats retracted as well.
Soon, the students scattered, heading toward their respective dorms.
Karmit, meanwhile, headed to the prefects' private dormitory. This room wasn't something he claimed by force—Draco had volunteered to exchange rooms with him.
According to Draco, a private dormitory should naturally belong to Karmit.
Karmit knew very well Draco had misunderstood him. He'd originally intended to live with Harry on purpose.
He hadn't bothered correcting Draco.
He had planned to challenge a Hidden Prefect for a private room that very night anyway.
In Slytherin, strength ruled; nothing forbade such a thing—people simply didn't usually bother.
But since Draco offered, it saved him the trouble. It was only a temporary arrangement, after all. In one month, he would move into the Chief's dormitory.
When he entered his room, a black blur launched itself at him. Karmit caught it easily.
It was Vannie.
He rubbed the little creature's head, and Vannie purred contentedly.
"All right, go rest. You can come with me tomorrow. But during the Sorting Ceremony, bringing you along would've been troublesome."
Vannie meowed softly, then leapt from his arms, hopped onto the bed, curled herself into a soft, round bundle, and quickly drifted into sleep, gentle breaths rising and falling.
Karmit didn't disturb her.
He washed up, lay down, and closed his eyes. Now that he was truly at Hogwarts, it was time to study seriously.
His strength was already far from weak— but still far from enough. He would have to work even harder.
....
The next morning, September 1st—the official start of Hogwarts classes.
The first-year Slytherins headed toward the first-floor Transfiguration classroom.
Karmit led at the front, a cluster of little serpents following close behind.
Even though the designated first-year Hidden Prefect was Draco, the younger snakes instinctively treated Karmit as the true leader—while Draco, in their minds, was simply his assistant.
Karmit found it troublesome. He was just going to class; he didn't ask anyone to trail behind him.
Holding Vannie in his arms, he walked through the corridor.
The Transfiguration classroom was on the first floor, so none of the Slytherins risked getting lost—they didn't have to deal with the shifting staircases yet.
Their first Transfiguration class would be shared with Gryffindor.
Naturally, the snakes weren't thrilled.
But Hogwarts paired houses frequently, and Slytherin and Gryffindor, ironically, shared more classes than any other combination.
Inside the classroom, the first thing Karmit saw was a cat lying atop the desk. Their seasoned cat-lady professor was fishing for trouble as usual.
Karmit chose a seat.
Draco and Harry settled beside him, the Slytherins filling in around them.
With the professor still in feline form, the children began chattering excitedly.
Karmit frowned.
"Draco, quiet them down."
Draco immediately stood. "Everyone, silence. Review your textbook. No talking."
This was the value of a Hidden Prefect.
Slytherin's strict discipline existed because each year had one. Distributed authority created natural order.
Soon after, the Gryffindors barreled in.
Instantly, the classroom sounded like a marketplace. Even the bell signaling the start of class didn't silence them.
To Karmit's mild surprise, Ron wasn't late.
Without the Boy Who Lived, calamity always arrived just a little slower. Of course, those future calamities would now land on Draco instead.
Karmit gave Draco a sympathetic glance.
Just as the Gryffindors grew rowdier—some even leaving their seats to shove one another—the cat atop the desk leapt down.
Midair, she transformed seamlessly into human form.
The students gasped.
Ron blurted out, "Cooool!"
Professor McGonagall gave him a sharp look.
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Weasley. However, the bell rang some time ago. Did none of you hear it? Why are you still shouting?"
Her gaze swept across the Gryffindors like a steel blade. They shivered instantly.
"Gryffindor," she announced coldly, "loses five points—every one of you contributed to this chaos. As for Slytherin: for your discipline and silence, you will earn five points."
The Slytherins all broke into smiles.
Gaining points wasn't the important part. What mattered was that Gryffindor had lost points.
__________
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